Car and train-pipe coupling



Tin. BROWN.

CAR AND TRAIN PI-PE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1919.

Patented Aug 2, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS BBGWN, O PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSEAIR BRAKE COMPANY, 02 YVILll/IERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TZON OFPENNSYLVANIA.

CAR AND TRAIN- Original application filed March 6, 1917, Serial No.

1919. Serial To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnoams It. BROWN, of Pittsburgh, in th county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain newandnsetul Improvement in Car and Train-Pipe Couplings, of whichimprovement the followin is a specification.

This invention'relates to combined car and train pipe couplings, and hasfor its object to provide improved valve means for controlling the trainpipe passages.

This application is a division of my origi .lication Serial No. 152,695,filed re of the accompa ying drawing ammatic sectional view, showingDart couplers coupled together, and g y improvement.

According to the construction shown, my iniproi enient is applied inconnection with a coupler of the rigid lock type, that is, one in whicithe counterpart couplers are each provided with projecting portionshaving vertical plane surfaces arranged in an inclined or diagonaldirection, whereby the couglers engage each other with a relativelongitudinal and lateral movement during the coupling action, and eachcoupler also having a pivoted lock or cam lever adapted to beautomatically clamped against a cor responding surface on thecounterpart coupler.

These locking levers, 6, are normally pressed outward by the springs, 7,acting on the pistons. S, mounted in cylinders, 9, and connected byrods, 10, with the pivoted loclc for releasing the same with iluidpressure admitted to said cylinders. The body 40 lion, 11. ot thecoupler contains the pases for the fluid pressure conduits, such as thereservoir line connection, 12, and the train brake pipe passage, 13,said passages being termed in a diagonal direction in line with theapproach movement of the coupler heads and provided with suitablegaskets at th meeting face of the coupler located at right angles tosaid passages. In the main reser 'oir passage are placed the valves, 1%,having stems, 15, extending out through the gasket openings and adaptedto engage each other and thereby open the valves in the two couplerswhen the same are brought Specification of Letters Patent.

PIPE COUPLING.

Patented A11 2, 1921.

152,695. Divided and this application filed July 5, No. 308,874.

together. The train bra-he pipe passages are controlled by the pistonvalves, 16, having springs, 17, for normally closing said valves againsttheir seats, the pressure in the chamber back of each piston valve beinggoverned by a small valve, 18, having a stem, 18 actuated by a piston,19, in chamber, 20, for controlling the port, 21, communiating with apipe, 22, which may be connected with a manually operated valve 50. 1.supply port, 23, leads from the main reservoir passage to the pistonchamber, 20.

The operation of my improved device is as follows: ll hen the couplersare brought together in the act oi coupling, the stems, 15, of thevalves, 1%, in the main reservoir line passage en age each other andcause an unseating oi the valves, 14, and permits the air from mainreservoir pipe to flow through the coupling and equalize on the twocars. At the same time air flows through the port, 23, into the chamber,20, forcing the piston, 19, against the stem, 18 to unseat the smallvent valve, 18, thereby releasing air under pressure from the back oithe piston valve, 16, in the brake pipe passage, 18, and causing saidbrake pipe valve to open by the pressure from the brake pipe passageacting upon its opposite face. This valve is thus forced back againstits spring, 17, until it seats against a gasket ring, as indicated,thereby preventing leakage around the valve, and holding the same in thefull open position. The space back oi pistons, 16 and 19, is then incommunication with the atmosphere through the port, 21., pipe, 22, andexhaust ports of the usual controlling valve, 50.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars, air under pressure is admittedby the valve, 50, from supply pipe, 52, to the passage, or pipe, 22,from which it flows into the unlocking cylinder, 9, and through passage,21, into the chamber back of piston, 16, thereby equalizing the pressurethereon so that the spring, 17 forces the valve to its seat and closesthe brake pipe passage. At the same time the air passing into cylinder,9, forcesthrough passage, 23, to the atmosphere. The vent valve, 18, isthen closed and held closed by the pressure of air from the train pipepassage, 13, which equalizes around the piston, 16, into the chamberback of said piston.

It Will, of course, be understood that in the actual construction, thereservoir line passage and the brake pipe passage at the face of thecoupler are located one above the other.

In the event of an accidental parting of the couplers, the valve, 16, inthe brake pipe, Will not close immediately, as there is only atmosphericpressure back of the valve, and it will remain in its open positionuntil the brake pipe pressure, acting on the face of the valve, hasdiminished below the force of the spring, 17. This reduction in brakepipe pressure, during this period'of time, will be suflioient to cause afull application of the automatic brakes.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: r

l. In a coupler having passages for automatically connecting the trainpipe lines, a closing piston valve for the brake pipe passage, 2.- smallvalve for venting fluid from the chamber behind said piston, anotherpiston for actuating said vent valve, and a tappet valve operated by thecoming together of the counterpart couplers for supplying fluid to saidactuating piston.

2. In a coupler having passages for automatically connecting the trainpipe lines, a closing piston valve for the brake pipe passage, a smallvalve for venting fluid from the chamber behind said piston, anotherpiston for actuating said vent valve, and a tappet valve looatedwin themain reservoir passage for controlling a supply of fluid to saidactuating piston.

23. In a coupler having passages for automatically connecting the trainpipe lines, a closing piston valve for the brake pipe passage, a smallvalve for venting fluid from the chamber behind said piston, and amanually operated valve for controlling a supply of fluid through thevent valve into the chamber behind said piston valve.

l; In a coupler having passages for auto matically connecting the trainpipe lines, a closing piston valve for the brake pipe passage, a smallvalve for venting fluid from the chamber behind said piston, anotherpiston for actuating said vent valve, means for supplying fluid to saidactuating piston, and a manually operated valve for controlling a supplyof fluid through the vent valve into the chamber behind said pistonvalve.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

THOMAS E. BROWN.

